The "Field Snail Rat" incident left Zhang Meng dispirited for several days. Whenever he saw a rat, he couldn't help taking a closer look, as if studying whether it had the potential to become a spirit. Xu Qian, meanwhile, enjoyed the peace and quiet and continued his steady "multi-threaded" development.
As he continued to "digest" the Qing Nang Handbook Supplement and his "academic exchanges" with Xue Muhua went on, Xu Qian's Medical Skill—especially the theoretical side—had long since become a far cry from what it once was. Xue Muhua was amazed by his benefactor's ability to learn, and had nearly reached the point of teaching him everything he knew. He no longer kept even his most closely guarded remedies and secrets to himself.
That day, the two of them once again took the opportunity of "discussing a difficult, unusual ailment" to speak in low voices. Xue Muhua mentioned an ancient recipe called a "Marching Pill." Supposedly, it had been a secret formula used by the army in the previous dynasty. Made from simple ingredients, a single pill could replace a day's rations and give one's spirits a slight boost. It was reserved for elite troops making long-distance raids or carrying out special missions.
At that, Xu Qian's ears immediately perked up. A low-grade version of a Grain Abstinence Pill? This thing was far too tempting!
The food in Heavenly Prison—everyone knew what that was like. The murky vegetable mash and black steamed buns hard enough to use as weapons did nothing but provide basic calories and torment one's taste buds. On top of that, the fixed meal times ate up a lot of his precious time for cultivation and "research." If he could use these "Marching Pills" to replace some or even all of his meals, he'd not only free